Behavioural Science and Insights Unit, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK.
BMC Public Health. 2022 Jan 27;22(1):182. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-12605-2.
From 9th April 2021, everyone in England has been encouraged to take two COVID-19 tests per week. This is the first time that national mass asymptomatic testing has been introduced in the UK and the effectiveness of the policy depends on uptake with testing and willingness to self-isolate following a positive test result. This paper examines attitudes towards twice-weekly testing, as well as barriers and facilitators to engaging in testing.
Between 5th April and 28th May 2021 we searched Twitter, Facebook, and online news articles with publicly available comment sections to identify comments relating to twice-weekly testing. We identified 5783 comments which were then analysed using a framework analysis.
We identified nine main themes. Five themes related to barriers to engaging in testing: low perceived risk from COVID-19; mistrust in the government; concern about taking a test; perceived ineffectiveness of twice-weekly testing policy; and perceived negative impact of twice-weekly testing policy. Four themes related to facilitators to engaging in testing: wanting to protect others; positive perceptions of tests; a desire to return to normal; and perceived efficacy for reducing asymptomatic transmission.
Overall, the comments identified indicated predominately negative attitudes towards the twice weekly testing policy. Several recommendations can be made to improve engagement with twice weekly testing, including: 1) communicate openly and honestly about the purpose of testing; 2) provide information about the accuracy of tests; 3) provide financial support for those required to self-isolate, and; 4) emphasise accessibility of testing.
自 2021 年 4 月 9 日起，英国鼓励每个人每周进行两次 COVID-19 检测。这是英国首次引入全国性大规模无症状检测，该政策的有效性取决于检测的参与度以及对阳性检测结果进行自我隔离的意愿。本文研究了人们对每周两次检测的态度，以及参与检测的障碍和促进因素。
在 2021 年 4 月 5 日至 5 月 28 日期间，我们在 Twitter、Facebook 和在线新闻文章中搜索了公开评论部分，以识别与每周两次检测相关的评论。我们共识别出 5783 条评论，然后使用框架分析法对其进行分析。
我们确定了九个主要主题。五个主题与参与检测的障碍有关：对 COVID-19 的低感知风险；对政府的不信任；对检测的担忧；对每周两次检测政策的有效性的怀疑；以及对每周两次检测政策的负面影响的感知。四个主题与参与检测的促进因素有关：保护他人的愿望；对检测的积极看法；回归正常的渴望；以及减少无症状传播的功效的感知。
总的来说，这些评论表明对每周两次检测政策的态度主要是负面的。为了提高对每周两次检测的参与度，可以提出以下建议：1）公开诚实地传达检测的目的；2）提供有关检测准确性的信息；3）为需要自我隔离的人提供经济支持；以及 4）强调检测的可及性。
